I sure am just SO thankful (beyond words!) for my husband and the transformed life he's been given. The title of this post is a direct quote from him during our Sunday afternoon gathering at our house when we look into the Word of the Lord Almighty together and worship Him in songs of praise & adoration.
My husband Nick asked me this past Sunday
how are you doing with the Lord?
How are you doing, living in light of eternity?
We ask the first question to those on the streets that we meet (usually on Saturday nights when we go out as a team to preach the gospel of Jesus). It is also for us, for us who claim to be devout followers of the Lord Jesus, with lives that revolve around the great commission - because we too must check in with one another how we are doing with the Lord, in living in light of eternity.
And so I got to reflect out loud, sharing with my husband, how my first 3 weeks of being back in medical school as a student have been. In a very short version, I was reminded that now that I've been bought with a prize (by the precious & perfect & cleansing blood of Jesus Christ) I really am no longer my own. Now that I profess as a Christian, my life should no longer revolve around my own agenda, dreams & ambitions - it should revolve around Christ's agenda & dreams & ambitions. We know one great dream and agenda that Christ has told His disciples: GO & PREACH, SEEK & SAVE THE LOST.
Wherever your feet tread that field is yours for the taking. Last week was a long one for me since it consisted of a 5-day schedule of 7AM-5PM of classes, clinical, and the last 3 hours were spent with psychiatric patients in an institution, then an evening of busy work and reading. But praise God that I didn't get too exhausted from it all, both physically and emotionally. Yes, I was tired but in Christ I got through it - and actually with joy!! In the midst of this busy long week an opportunity opened up to share from where my steadfast hope & strength come. A depressed patient who recently was admitted into the psychiatric facility asked me where she could find hope and strength that she saw in me. Immediately, I knew what I had in front of me. I took a quick subtle glance at my professor who was busy talking with other patients a few meters away. Then I looked into the eyes of my patient, and gave her the answer she needed to hear: the Lord Jesus. She listened intently, but still with despair all over her face and in her being. Words like surrender, repent, made new, life, death, destruction, choose, decide, eternity came out of my mouth (in Spanish). My patient got teary-eyed, put her head down for a few seconds before looking back at me saying: I can't (no se puede - in Spanish). She added: I have nothing left. With a pause, we just stared at each other. Then I had to mentally elbow my myself to tell her: IN CHRIST, si se puede! I'll leave it that, but we did talk some more and I told her I will be keeping her in prayer, lifting her up to the Lord Jesus - the ONLY mediator between us and the Lord God Almighty. I told her she can cry out to God and He would hear through Christ. Please include her in your prayers.
I was reminded through this interaction with my patient that as a Christian, I cannot and MUST NOT, deny my Christ - otherwise, He will deny me too in front of the Father when I stand in front of Him to give an account of my life. I was reminded that there's no compartments in a life of a Christian - there should not be, especially when given such an open door to share with a lost and broken-hearted who their only hope is. I'm taught in med school that I must not inject into my practice of medicine (later!) my own religious views and beliefs and convictions. But that's crazy teaching! Every single person has beliefs and views and convictions that mold them and make them into who they are, that make them act and talk and think the way they do. Without them, I'd be just a physical human body lost and wandering in this world, without direction or any kind of foundation.
I was reminded that daily I must live in light of eternity.
The road ends to either one of these: heaven or hell……for the rest of your eternity.
